Diksey　went　close　to　the　fence　and　said：
  〃My　good　Hoppers；　I　wish　to　explain　that
  what　I　said　about　you　was　a　joke。　You　have　but
  one　leg　each；　and　we　have　two　legs　each。　Our
  legs　are　under　us；　whether　one　or　two；　and　we
  stand　on　them。　So；　when　I　said　you　had　less
  understanding　than　we；　I　did　not　mean　that　you
  had　less　understanding；　you　understand；　but
  that　you　had　less　standundering；　so　to　speak。
  Do　you　understand　that？〃
  The　Hoppers　thought　it　over　carefully。　Then　one
  said：
  〃That　is　clear　enough；　but　where　does　the　joke
  come　in？'〃
  Dorothy　laughed；　for　she　couldn't　help　it；
  although　all　the　others　were　solemn　enough。
  〃I'll　tell　you　where　the　joke　comes　in；〃　she
  said；　and　took　the　Hoppers　away　to　a　distance；
  where　the　Horners　could　not　hear　them。　〃You　know；〃
  she　then　explained；　〃those　neighbors　of　yours　are
  not　very　bright；　poor　things；　and　what　they　think
  is　a　joke　isn't　a　joke　at　allit's　true；　don't
  you　see？〃
  〃True　that　we　have　less　understanding？〃　asked
  the　Champion。
  〃Yes；　it's　true　because　you　don't　understand
  such　a　poor　joke；　if　you　did；　you'd　be　no　wiser
  than　they　are。〃
  〃Ah；　yes；　of　course；〃　they　answered；　looking
  very　wise。
  〃So　I'll　tell　you　what　to　do；〃　continued
  Dorothy。　〃Laugh　at　their　poor　joke　and　tell　'em
  it's　pretty　good　for　a　Horner。　Then　they　won't
  dare　say　you　have　less　understanding；　because　you
  understand　as　much　as　they　do。〃
  The　Hoppers　looked　at　one　another　questioningly
  and　blinked　their　eyes　and　tried　to　think　what　it
  all　meant；　but　they　couldn't　figure　it　out。
  〃What　do　you　think；　Champion？〃　asked　one　of
  them。
  〃I　think　it　is　dangerous　to　think　of　this　thing
  any　more　than　we　can　help；〃　he　replied。　〃Let　us　do
  as　this　girl　says　and　laugh　with　the　Horners；　so
  as　to　make　them　believe　we　see　the　joke。　Then
  there　will　be　peace　again　and　no　need　to　fight。〃
  They　readily　agreed　to　this　and　returned　to
  the　fence　laughing　as　loud　and　as　hard　as　they
  could；　although　they　didn't　feel　like　laughing
  a　bit。　The　Horners　were　much　surprised。
  〃That's　a　fine　jokefor　a　Hornerand　we　are
  much　pleased　with　it；〃　said　the　Champion；　speaking
  between　the　pickets。　〃But　please　don't　do　it
  again。〃
  〃I　won't；〃　promised　Diksey。　〃If　I　think　of
  another　such　joke　I'll　try　to　forget　it。〃
  〃Good！〃　cried　the　Chief　Horner。　〃The　war　is　over
  and　peace　is　declared。〃
  There　was　much　joyful　shouting　on　both　sides　of
  the　fence　and　the　gate　was　unlocked　and　thrown
  wide　open；　so　that　Scraps　was　able　to　rejoin　her
  friends。
  〃What　about　the　Scarecrow？〃　she　asked　Dorothy。
  〃We　must　get　him　down；　somehow　or　other；〃　was
  the　reply。
  〃Perhaps　the　Horners　can　find　a　way；〃　suggested
  Ojo。　So　they　all　went　through　the　gate　and　Dorothy
  asked　the　Chief　Horner　how　they　could　get　the
  Scarecrow　off　the　fence。　The　Chief　didn't　know
  how；　but　Diksey　said：
  〃A　ladder's　the　thing。〃
  〃Have　you　one？〃　asked　Dorothy。
  〃To　be　sure。　We　use　ladders　in　our　mines；〃
  said　he。　Then　he　ran　away　to　get　the　ladder；
  and　while　he　was　gone　the　Horners　gathered
  around　and　welcomed　the　strangers　to　their
  country；　for　through　them　a　great　war　had　been
  avoided。
  In　a　little　while　Diksey　came　back　with　a
  tall　ladder　which　he　placed　against　the　fence。　Ojo
  at　once　climbed　to　the　top　of　the　ladder　and
  Dorothy　went　about　halfway　up　and　Scraps　stood　at
  the　foot　of　it。　Toto　ran　around　it　and　barked。
  Then　Ojo　pulled　the　Scarecrow　away　from　the　picket
  and　passed　him　down　to　Dorothy；　who　in　turn
  lowered　him　to　the　Patchwork　Girl。
  As　soon　as　he　was　on　his　feet　and　standing
  on　solid　ground　the　Scarecrow　said：
  〃Much　obliged。　I　feel　much　better。　I'm　not
  stuck　on　that　picket　any　more。〃
  The　Horners　began　to　laugh；　thinking　this
  was　a　joke；　but　the　Scarecrow　shook　himself　and
  patted　his　straw　a　little　and　said　to　Dorothy：
  〃Is　there　much　of　a　hole　in　my　back？〃
  The　little　girl　examined　him　carefully。
  〃There's　quite　a　hole；〃　she　said。　〃But　I've　got
  a　needle　and　thread　in　the　knapsack　and　I'll　sew
  you　up　again。〃
  〃Do　so；〃　he　begged　earnestly；　and　again　the
  Hoppers　laughed；　to　the　Scarecrow's　great
  annoyance。
  While　Dorothy　was　sewing　up　the　hole　in
  the　straw　man's　back　Scraps　examined　the　other
  parts　of　him。
  〃One　of　his　legs　is　ripped；　too！〃　she　exclaimed。
  〃Oho！〃　cried　little　Diksey；　〃that's　bad。　Give
  him　the　needle　and　thread　and　let　him　mend
  his　ways。〃
  〃Ha；　ha；　ha！〃　laughed　the　Chief；　and　the
  other　Homers　at　once　roared　with　laughter。
  〃What's　funny？〃　inquired　the　Scarecrow　sternly。
  〃Don't　you　see？〃　asked　Diksey；　who　had
  laughed　even　harder　than　the　others。　〃That's　a
  joke。　It's　by　odds　the　best　joke　I　ever　made。
  You　walk　with　your　legs；　and　so　that's　the　way
  you　walk；　and　your　legs　are　the　ways。　See？　So；
  when　you　mend　your　legs；　you　mend　your　ways。
  Ho；　ho；　ho！　hee；　hee！　I'd　no　idea　I　could　make
  such　a　fine　joke！〃
  〃Just　wonderful！〃　echoed　the　Chief。　〃How　do　you
  manage　to　do　it；　Diksey？〃
  〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Diksey　modestly。　〃Perhaps
  it's　the　radium；　but　I　rather　think　it's　my
  splendid　intellect。〃
  If　you　don't　quit　it；〃　the　Scarecrow　told　him；
  〃there'll　be　a　worse　war　than　the　one　you've
  escaped　from。〃
  Ojo　had　been　deep　in　thought；　and　now　he
  asked　the　Chief：　〃Is　there　a　dark　well　in　any
  part　of　your　country？〃
  〃A　dark　well？　None　that　ever　I　heard　of；〃　was
  the　answer。
  〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Diksey；　who　overheard　the
  boy's　question。　〃There's　a　very　dark　well　down
  in　my　radium　mine。〃
  〃Is　there　any　water　in　it？〃　Ojo　eagerly　asked。
  〃Can't　say；　I've　never　looked　to　see。　But　we
  can　find　out。〃
  So；　as　soon　as　the　Scarecrow　was　mended；
  they　decided　to　go　with　Diksey　to　the　mine。
  When　Dorothy　had　patted　the　straw　man　into
  shape　again　he　declared　he　felt　as　good　as　new
  and　equal　to　further　adventures。
  〃Still；〃　said　he；　〃I　prefer　not　to　do　picket
  duty　again。　High　life　doesn't　seem　to　agree　with
  my　constitution。〃　And　then　they　hurried　away
  to　escape　the　laughter　of　the　Homers；　who
  thought　this　was　another　joke。
  Chapter　Twenty…Four
  Ojo　Finds　the　Darkwell
  They　now　followed　Diksey　to　the　farther　end　of
  the　great　cave；　beyond　the　Horner　city；　where
  there　were　several　round；　dark　holes　leading　into
  the　ground　in　a　slanting　direction。　Diksey　went　to
  one　of　these　holes　and　said：
  〃Here　is　the　mine　in　which　lies　the　dark　well
  you　are　seeking。　Follow　me　and　step　care　fully　and
  I'll　lead　you　to　the　place。〃
  He　went　in　first　and　after　him　came　Ojo；　and
  then　Dorothy；　with　the　Scarecrow　behind　her。
  The　Patchwork　Girl　entered　last　of　all；　for　Toto
  kept　close　beside　his　little　mistress。
  A　few　steps　beyond　the　mouth　of　the　opening　it
  was　pitch　dark。　〃You　won't　lose　your　way；　though；〃
  said　the　Homer；　〃for　there's　only　one　way　to　go。
  The　mine's　mine　and　I　know　every　step　of　the　way。
  How's　that　for　a　joke；　eh？　The　mine's　mine。〃　Then
  he　chuckled　gleefully　as　they　followed　him
  silently　down　the　steep　slant。　The　hole　was　just
  big　enough　to　permit　them　to　walk　upright；
  although　the　Scarecrow；　being　much　the　taller　of
  the　party；　often　had　to　bend　his　head　to　keep　from
  hitting　the　top。
  The　floor　of　the　tunnel　was　difficult　to　walk
  upon　because　it　had　been　worn　smooth　as　glass；　and
  pretty　soon　Scraps；　who　was　some　distance　behind
  the　others；　slipped　and　fell　head　foremost。　At
  once　she　began　to　slide　downward；　so　swiftly　that
  when　she　came　to　the　Scarecrow　she　knocked　him　off
  his　feet　and　sent　him　tumbling　against　Dorothy；
  who　tripped　up　Ojo。　The　boy　fell　against　the
  Horner；　so　that　all　went　tumbling　down　the　slide
  in　a　regular　mix…up；　unable　to　see　where　they　were
  going　because　of　the　darkness。
  Fortunately；　when　they　reached　the　bottom　the
  Scarecrow　and　Scraps　were　in　front；　and　the　others
  bumped　against　them；　so　that　no　one　was　hurt。　They